For some reason, when Antifa was rampaging all across the country, burning entire neighborhoods while wearing masks, thus preventing most of them from being brought to justice, the left was cool with masks.
Now that ICE is rounding up their future election strategy while wearing them, some states like Washington are trying to ban them for law enforcement.
In fact, a bill seeking to outlaw federal agents wearing masks is very near passage, with only one minor hurdle left to clear.
A prohibition on law enforcement covering their faces, motivated by masked federal immigration agents, is one step closer to becoming Washington law.
The state House passed the legislation along party lines Tuesday with Democrats in support. The Senate approved it in January. It now heads back to the Senate, which will need to concur with minor changes the House made, before the bill can go to Gov. Bob Ferguson. The governor has indicated strong support for the policy.
The Senate will need to pass the final version before the legislative session ends March 12.
Senate Bill 5855 would bar all law enforcement officers in Washington from masking while interacting with the public, with exceptions for undercover operatives, personal protective equipment and bicycle or motorcycle helmets.
Someone detained by an officer violating the ban could bring civil action against the officer in their official capacity, leaving governments open to legal liability.
“This policy is about accountability,” said Rep. Julio Cortes, D-Everett. “It affirms a simple principle that when law enforcement officers are exercising their authority in public-facing duties, that public has the right to know who is policing them.”
The legislation is one of several ways lawmakers are looking to respond to growing concerns about the federal immigration crackdown under President Donald Trump. In Washington state and elsewhere, people have been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents obscuring their identities with face coverings.
However, this isn't just about federal agents, but all law enforcement officers.
So, just to be clear, rampaging violent mobs of anarchist commies burning cities can still wear masks, but police officers can't.
They really didn't think this one through, though, did they?
First, there are legitimate questions as to whether or not states can dictate anything to federal agents enforcing federal laws. That includes whether or not they can wear masks while enforcing those laws, especially in light of the Mexican cartels putting bounties on ICE agents. I mean, the Supremacy Clause is a thing, after all.
Second, they do realize there are times when regular law enforcement wears masks beyond PPE. Sure, undercover officers wear them, but other officers do, too, when they're dealing with organizations known to get revenge on police officers. It's just about officer safety, and rather than try to limit it to ICE--which they probably can't do anyway--they're just going to get everyone caught up in this mess.
And again, masks being worn by mobs are still cool with these same lawmakers, even when they're burning and looting cities.
I mean, you could just ban the masks entirely, except for PPE and medical conditions, and deal with the Antifa turdnuggets, too, but nope. They're still good to go, apparently.
Tells you a lot about where the left's priorities are.